04:35 PM EDT, 10/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- A civil lawsuit filed by state officials in Massachusetts contending Meta Platform's Instagram uses features designed to keep younger users using it will be allowed to proceed after a judge in Boston turned down motion to dismiss, court document made public Friday shows.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell filed the suit in 2023 against the company arguing Instagram violates state consumer protection laws and purposely targets children and their "psychological vulnerabilities" through several design features.

Campbell also contends Meta has falsely stated those features are not addictive and do not contribute to an ongoing mental health crisis among youth.

In seeking a dismissal, Meta argued that the harms to mental health issues in youth are connected to third-party content.

Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Peter Krupp disagreed in a ruling made public on Friday saying the state is trying to hold Meta liable for its business conduct and as a product designer, rather specific content.

In a statement to MT Newswires on Friday, a Meta spokesperson said the company disagrees with the decision and has "developed numerous tools" supporting parents and younger users, including creating new "Teen Accounts" automatically limiting the content they see and who can contact them.

"We believe the evidence will demonstrate our commitment to supporting young people," the spokesperson said.

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